Criminal Justice and Social Policy

Criminal justice and social policy are disciplines that converge on some of the most urgent questions in contemporary public life. Criminal justice examines crime as a social phenomenon, asking how it is defined, how it is responded to by police, courts, and prisons, and what the consequences of those responses are for individuals and communities. Social policy analyses how welfare systems, public institutions, and government programmes shape the life chances of citizens, and how political choices about housing, health, education, and poverty intersect with patterns of crime and punishment.

Together, the two fields offer a rigorous and critical perspective on how societies seek to manage harm and promote wellbeing.

At the University of York this four-year programme situates crime within a wider global framework, encouraging you to think comparatively about criminal justice systems and welfare states in different countries and contexts. You will develop skills in research methods, policy analysis, and critical argument, drawing on evidence from sociology, law, psychology, and economics. The degree includes a year in industry, which is built into the four-year structure, giving you a sustained period of professional experience in a relevant organisation, whether in criminal justice, social welfare, research, or policy, that significantly strengthens your practical understanding and career readiness.

Graduates from criminal justice and social policy programmes work in probation, youth justice, social work, the prison service, policy research, voluntary organisations, local government, and community safety. The analytical and research skills developed on the degree transfer into a wide range of public sector and third-sector roles. Many graduates also go on to postgraduate study in criminology, social work, social policy, law, or public policy, and the year in industry placement is a particularly strong foundation for professional and academic progression.